Keep the Heat on Congress to Pass the JJDPA this Year!Attend a Town Hall Meeting & Speak Out for Juvenile Justice Reform
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| During August, Members of Congress are heading to their home states for the “August recess” until September 13. While Congress may be leaving the record-breaking heat in Washington, DC, we need to keep the heat on them to pass Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act reauthorization legislation this year! The JJDPA was first enacted in 1974 and provides federal funding to states that comply with a set of best practices aimed at avoiding the detention and incarceration of young people in juvenile and adult facilities. However, this law is three years overdue for reauthorization! The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a JJDPA reauthorization bill (S. 678) but it is awaiting action on the Senate floor. We’re awaiting the introduction of a House measure, expected just after the House returns in September. It's a good law, and is needed now more than ever to provide more protections for court-involve youth and support state and local efforts to develop and implement evidence-based practices that are in the best interests of youth, families and communities nationwide. Actions you can take: (1) Find out when your Members of Congress are hosting Town Hall Meetings: Check the websites of your members to see if they have scheduled a Town Hall meeting in your area. For the House, visit www.house.gov. For the Senate, visit www.senate.gov. You can also call the main congressional switchboard (202)-224-3121 to get connected to your members’ offices. Some members may have Town Hall information on their Facebook page or you can check local newspaper listings.
(2) Spread the Word: Once you know if and when your members are hosting a Town Hall meeting, get the word out! Invite others to join you.
(3) Speak out: Ask a question or make a comment during the Town Hall. Be sure to say that you are part of the Act 4 Juvenile Justice campaign to reauthorize the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Sample Question: “What actions will you take to ensure that the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act is reauthorized by Congress this year?” (4) Give us feedback: If you attend a Town Hall, let us know how it went! Were you able to make a comment or ask a question? If so, what did your Member of Congress say in response? Send your comments to info@act4jj.org.
(5) Share: Spread the word with your friends by sharing this Action Alert!
For additional information, visit: www.act4jj.org.
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Visit us online at www.act4jj.org |
Friday, August 6, 2010
Act for Juvenile Justice: Town Hall Meetings.
This comes to us from the Act for Juvenile Justice (www.act4jj.org) list-serve. It may also be a good opportunity to remind congress members of the role of federal oversight in state and local facilities if folks are having concerns about their children's treatment or safety that aren't being responded to by the appropriate court or institution.
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